How did you get started in the hobby?

[Vince]

I remember the year, 1982. I was still living in an apartment, and my next door neghbor got tired of her fish and gave me a 10 gallon tank. But before this, when I was about 9 years old, I always enjoyed going to the rice fields and catching some channa striata, placing them in a 1 gallon jar full of anachris anachris. i would have two 4 inch fish in it. They could barely move, but they stay alive forever!!! Anyway, back in the US, the 10 gallon tank with tiger barbs and angel fish was not enough. So I bought a 60 gallon and from there it just grew and grew and grew!!!!

 

[guppy]

My parents got tired of pickle jars full of local fish all over the house. They made me a deal, lose most of the jars and get a tank.

 

[Ornatapinnis]

I kept catching things out of the creak near my house and would bring them home. I had buckes, butter dishes, jars, anything that held water everywhere.

It escolated from there. I was breeding live bearers at 7 or 8, got into africans at about 10 and started breeding tilipia mosanbque and Lamp. brichardi. THis was back when colorful africans that are now common were just starting to become available.

I built my first pond when I was about 10 or so, it was a disaster!!!! I got the liner out of a Sears catalog

 

[Kieranuk]

A friend was always telling me how good it was so I went to the lfs and I really liked it so I got a 40G tank which I still have now 9 months later. I was going to get a 100G but then I joined MFK so now I am going to get a 310 or a 360 US-G tank.

 

[shekes]

Last year I rented an apartment without a view, came across a second-hand discus tank that was for sale, bought it to make up for the lack of view in my living room.
Then came the bedroom...
... then the bathroom...

I accumulated 13 tanks with 500g of water and hundereds of fish within 8 months. It is a sort of a shopping disorder I guess.

 

[Chad55]

I started when for my 10th b-day I wanted one of those discovery fish tanks with the microscopes in them, but my dad didnt want me to have that so instead he got me one of those 5 gallon bowfronts which I took down when we moved. Then for christmas when I was 12 he got me and my brother a 29 gallon, then somebody offered us another one for free and that is how the hobby got spread to my mom's house too. Now I have a 29gal and 10gal at my dad's and a 55gal at my mom's.

Chad

 

[lil_punisher]

i think it is sort of a shopping disorder or something because i go through phases where i want to go the lfs's like every other day. It is wierd.

 

[shekes]

I got it all online. And now, eventhough my tanks are overstocked and there is absolute no place in the apartment to put more tanks, I still keep checking out the fish online and keep inquiring about interesting offers. The MFK forum is mainly a substitute disorder for me.

 

[Meniscus]

It started for me with a fancy goldfish in a bowl when I was a kid. From there it moved to a tank that was all mine when I was young. Since then it has just grown and grown. I am now looking forward to getting my next tank.

 

[Lspooky4]

Mine started with Gooda when he decided he wanted to replace his 90, I got that one. Then when he had go on duty I got the 210 replacement. I'm not trying to figure out how many tanks I can fit in my house and which themes I want.